Portable Parking Lot

ABSTRACT

A portable pavement system allowing for fast and easy installation of a pavement surface that incorporates individual pieces working together to create a solid, durable, adjustable, reusable, and removable platform for use as a parking or driveway facility, or other uses where such a surface possessing the special qualities described is advantageous.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

See Provisional Application 62/231,676

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO A “SEQUENCE LISTING”

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to a system for creating a parking lot,driveway, interior or exterior building flooring, or other surface thatwould benefit from large, reinforced, movable, and reusable concretetiles that eliminate, or dramatically reduce the need for on-sitepouring of concrete with the related expense of building traditionalconcrete forms, reinforcement systems, and reliance on the vagaries ofweather and temperature conditions.

Related Art

Throughout the country, and indeed around the world, concrete is acommon building material well suited to pavement, such as driveways andparking lots. A typical construction method for such structures requirespreparing the surface, installing a form, or usually multiple forms, insteps, over days of work, to contain the edges of the concrete and tocreate an aesthetically pleasing finish. Also required is a network, orgrid of reinforcing material, and some system for determining the finalfinished height of the poured surface.

Once the forms and reinforcing system has been installed, concrete canbe delivered and poured, depending upon weather conditions. Rain, snow,exceedingly high or low temperatures all contribute to limitations onthe ability to install typical concrete surfaces on a particular day.Likewise, the availability of a large working crew is anotherlimitation, depending upon the size of the project. Finally, dependingagain on the size of the project and access to surrounding property, itmay be necessary for installers to wait until a first section ofconcrete is dry and fully cured before continuing to another part of theproject beyond the reach of the first section. Mud, buildings or otherstructures frequently interfere with, or limit the size of a workingarea until a solid surface is built out.

Historical experience with concrete surfaces has demonstrated typicalinstallations to be highly problematic in terms of modification ofalmost any type. Should an end user need to add plumbing, electricalsystems, landscaping or other modifications to an already installedconcrete surface requires either considerable pre-planning, or removalof concrete by sawing, jack-hammering, digging, or some similarexpensive, technically difficult, and, or time consuming method ofremoval. Moreover, additions to an already installed concrete surfacerequire starting with the same methods described in [0003], above, withthe understanding that completed concrete projects are generally in usefor their intended purpose and additional will likely interferesubstantially with on-going business, customers, or other operations.

Typically concrete installation also requires the availability and useof very expensive equipment and machinery that require precisescheduling and coordination. Failure in scheduling and coordination canfind expensive work crews without material or, alternatively, timesensitive material hardening in trucks waiting for work crews to beprepared for delivery.

Some alternatives to typical concrete installations are in use in othercountries and in some places in the United States. These alternativesinclude cobblestone, or other small (of a size that pieces can becarried and manipulated by one or two workers) paving stones made ofunreinforced concrete or sometimes of natural stone materials. These canbe suitable for light loads or heavier loads, but with heavier loadsexperience has demonstrated that these alternative surface productsrequire considerable ground preparation, underlayment material, and arequite labor intensive when completed to a very high standard.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND ADVANTAGES

The subject invention comprises a method and apparatus, through the useof concrete tiles pre-fabricated with a surrounding border of steel andreinforced internally in such a way that it resists cracking from loadsplaced on the tiles from day-to-day use, for quickly, efficiently, andcost-effectively creating a driveway, parking lot, or other solid,robust concrete surface that can not only be installed by a small crew,is not subject to the limitations of weather or temperature (any morethan such weather can be endured by the work crew), interferes to thesmallest degree possible with surrounding operations, it can also bejust as easily, quickly, and cost effectively modified to suit changingneeds. All metal surfaces are hot-dip galvanized for a projected servicelife in excess of thirty (30) years.

Installation requires a minimum of equipment and none of the neededinstallation equipment is industry specific. That is to say, the neededequipment is widely available and can easily be rented, or may alreadybe on hand.

The original design specification for these concrete tiles is six (6)feet square (approximately two {2} meters), with a thickness of four (4)inches, (approximately 100 mm), strengthened internally with concretereinforcing bars of a suitable size. Other variants on the same portablepavement tile design can be created in smaller or larger sizes andthicknesses, depending upon the needs of the end user. The six feetsquare design is the standard and is intended to provide a parking spacefor one (1) full sized automobile or light truck ordinarily found in usein the United States with the use of only two tiles. A series ofstandard tiles lain end to end will quickly and easily create a drivewayof any needed length or width.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of the present invention willbecome more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is, an isometric view showing the present invention.

FIG. 2 is, an x-ray view of the frame of the invention from a plan ortop view prior to the addition of concrete filling material.

FIG. 3 is, an isometric view of the frame of the invention, less theconcrete filling material, and featuring the two lifting fixtures usedto locate and transport the invention.

FIG. 4 is, a view of one of the two lifting fixtures included in eachexample of the invention.

FIG. 5: Application view of invention collectively creating a parkingfacility in a strip shopping center.

FIG. 6: Application view of invention collectively creating adriveway/parking area in a residential setting.

REFERENCE LETTERING IN THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a : lifting fixture cover

FIG. 1b : lifting fixture tube

FIG. 1c : Channel frame exterior frame

FIG. 1d : Concrete filler material

FIG. 2a : Lifting fixture tube

FIG. 2b : Exterior channel frame

FIG. 2c : Reinforcing Bar, Rebar

FIG. 3 a: Lifting fixture, extended

FIG. 3 b: Lifting fixture, closed

FIG. 4 a: Chain for lifting fixture

FIG. 4 b: Lifting fixture tube

FIG. 4 c: Cover for lifting fixture

FIG. 4 d: Anchor for lifting fixture

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an isometric perspective view of the present invention inan assembled state. Each “concrete tile” as it is called, is a selfcontained, welded, concrete filled, pre-assembled item, ready to be usedimmediately. These are typically delivered to a work site where theground has been prepared to receive them and are installed immediatelyusing suitable heavy lifting equipment. Collectively, multiple examplesof the invention work together to create a firm surface suitable forparking one or many heavy, medium or light duty vehicle or othermachines, or to protect such equipment from exposure to a soft earthensurface or mud. Likewise, the invention serves to protect the earthunderneath from excessive disturbance and, when the invention isremoved, service to quickly and easily return the ground to its originalstate.

Key letter A, illustrates the extended position of the lifting fixture,which provides two identical locations for lifting and locating theinvention for transport on flat-bed trailers, as an example, and forpositioning the invention for permanent or temporary installation.

FIG. 2 illustrates the internal strength of the invention with the useof either ¾″ (three quarter inch) or 1″ (one inch) concrete reinforcingbars, key letter C. in FIG. 2, interlaced and interconnected by weldingto the exterior channel, key letter B. in FIG. 2, and to one another.Likewise, the interconnected structure provides a locating position andmounting provision for the lifting fixture tubes, key letter A. in FIG.2. With the addition of concrete, the finished product is strong yetportable and capable of withstanding at least the 3000 psi rating oftypical concrete.

FIG. 4 illustrates the operation of the lifting fixture feature of theinvention, which includes a two inches inside diameter (2″) by fourinches long (4″) steel locating tube, key letter B., which is welded tothe structure as described in paragraph [0019], above. Lifting tubes areprotected against concrete entry during the concrete step. A suitablysized and strengthened chain, key letter A. in FIG. 4, as well as ananchor, key letter D. in FIG. 4, and a cover, key letter C. in FIG. 4,are added, which provides a clean and unobstructed surface when in aclosed position as shown in key letter B. in FIG. 3. All metal work istreated with a hot-dipped galvanizing process before both concrete isadded and the internal components of the lifting fixture are assembled.The lifting fixture cover is, stainless steel, for weather resistanceand durability.

FIG. 5 illustrates a conceptual application for the invention when usedin suitable numbers creating a useful and attractive, yet removable andreusable parking facility in a strip shopping center—in this example.

FIG. 6 illustrates a conceptual application for the invention when usedin suitable numbers creating a useful and attractive, yet removable andreusable driveway and parking facility in a residential setting.

These are only two examples of the application of the invention. It canbe used in almost any location where a solid, stable, yet adjustable andremovable parking or pavement solution is required.

Although the preceding description contains significant detail, itshould not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, butrather, as providing illustrations of the versatility of the invention.As an example, the invention could also be used on the interior of acommercial or industrial building creating a flooring surface that isnot only sturdy, but adjustable and removable for maintenance or otherneeds. Such a variation would not materially alter the nature of theinvention. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be fixed by theclaim, rather than any specific examples provided.

Having described my invention, I claim:
 1. A portable pavement systemdesigned to provide temporary, long term, or permanent surface for aparking lot or driveway that is removable, reusable, can be stored in acompact space, and can be reconfigured as the needs of the users change,or be removable altogether and relocated for a new use.
 2. A portablepavement system, as recited in claim 1, using concrete-filled metaltiles incorporating at least two lifting fixtures per unit to allow fortransport, locating, and relocating, as needed.
 3. A portable pavementsystem, as recited in claim 1, incorporating a rigid steel frame with adurable exterior perimeter and an interlocking matrix of reinforcingmaterial for strength and durability, the metal parts being further madedurable by treatment with a hot-dipped zinc galvanizing process.